EAST LONGMEADOW – East Longmeadow Town Manager Mary McNally’s letter of resignation was read into the record at the Oct. 12 Town Council meeting. In it, she described a hostile work environment in which one member of the council consistently treated her with what was later described as “harassment” and “abuse.”

“The complete lack of a modicum of professional courtesy, the insidious negativity and suspicion, the continuous pattern of overreaching by a particular councilor into matters which the charter clearly identifies as the responsibility of the manager and disingenuous communication and misrepresentation of facts to other councilors have created a work environment which I find intolerable,” McNally wrote in her resignation.

In her letter, she praised the town department heads and said the majority of the council had been supportive of her, but that it was not enough to outweigh the treatment by the unnamed councilor.

McNally stated that the pattern of behavior had been ongoing since August 2019 when she began working for the town. Town Council President Michael Kane said that he felt the town “owed her a sense of protection,” against a hostile workplace.

Councilor Marilyn Richards spoke about the role of the councilors in McNally’s departure and said the behavior had been witnessed by them all. “We have each had an opportunity to raise our voices and say, ‘stop,’ and it hasn’t happened,” Richards told her colleagues. “This is a form of abuse and harassment and I’m sorry that it got this far.”

Councilor Kathleen Hill reflected that she was “immensely saddened and frustrated,” by the situation. “There is no council rule to address bad behavior,” by other councilors. She noted that a code of conduct she had proposed earlier in the year had been voted down. The only measure that can be taken during a councilor’s term is a citizen’s referendum for a recall, which Hill remarked, “perhaps that needs to be left on the table for any registered voter to ponder after this meeting.” She called on the councilor in question to “do the right thing,” and resign.

The town charter allows for elected officials with more than six months left in their term to face a recall vote if a petition is signed by 500 or more voters. The recall election must be conducted between 64 and 90 days after certification of the petition. A recall vote that passes takes effect immediately.

McNally submitted her resignation to the council on Oct. 4. Two days later, on Oct. 6, the council conducted an executive session, “to consider the discipline or dismissal of, or to hear complaints or charges regarding Thomas C. O’Connor.” Reminder Publishing reached out to O’Connor for comment, but was referred to the council president.

McNally’s last day is Dec. 3. A plan to find a replacement has yet to be announced.

Earlier that evening, former Town Council member Donald Anderson was chosen as the replacement for R. Patrick Henry, who resigned from the council on Sept. 16. Residents Sam Stoughton and Terry Leone had also applied to fill the seat, but the councilors agreed that Anderson, who stated he will not run for the seat in the spring 2022 election, would be the most neutral and experienced selection.

Henry’s resignation came two days after a tense confrontation between himself and O‘Connor on one side, and McNally on the other, over the town manager’s authority to appoint a deputy town manager and assign that title.

Henry told Reminder Publishing, “I ran for the council three years ago thinking I could add value to the council. Instead, I have found I was growing increasingly out of step with my fellow councilors and council leadership. We see many issues differently and many councilors are not receptive to my positions. My experience at our Sept. 14 council meeting confirmed my decision.”

In a Facebook comment on the topic of McNally’s departure, Richards stated that Henry’s resignation was not related to the issues with McNally. She added, “The unnamed councilor referenced in the resignation letter of our town manager, Mary McNally, still remains on the council.”

Sign Bylaw

The council took up a proposed change to the bylaw governing signs. The petitioner proposed allowing signs and murals to be painted on exterior building walls, provided the size does not exceed 25 percent of the wall’s surface.

Richards said that the bylaw is already complicated and suggested an amendment for murals be separate. Councilors Connor O’Shea and Ralph Page said that the primary concern of the proposed change was to allow commercial signing. While Page said he was opposed to the idea, he wanted to see what the bylaw subcommittee said. The proposal was referred to the subcommittee.

Mask Mandate

During public comment, resident Justin McCarthy presented his case for the repeal of the Board of Health’s mask mandate. He told the council that the mandate was not listed on the agenda for the meeting at which it was passed and asserted that the board “very likely” knew it would take up the issue that night. He also stated that the state Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) was never informed of the mandate, as required by law, and was therefore “defective.”

Finally, he stated that businesses are resentful and “losing clients” and that “at any given time,” “someone can call the health inspector and they get hit with a $1,000 fine.” No business has received a fine since the mask mandate was implemented at the end of August.

McCarthy has collected enough signatures to trigger a public forum on the issue, the date of which has yet to be set.

Board of Health

In the Town Manager’s Report, McNally said that she was in the process of “reconstructing” the Health Department. Administrative Assistant Alix Roncarati had been promoted to health inspector. Roncarati has all required certifications but “lacks field experience.” Former Health Inspector Donna Bowman, who works with a third-party food safety company, will be providing restaurant inspections with Roncarati until the latter has built up the needed hand-on experience. She will also continue as the administrative assistant until that role can be filed.

McNally officially submitted Kathryn Jobbins, a doctor at Baystate Medical Center, as a member of the Board of Health. There were two applicants yet to be interviewed for the third seat on the board. If Jobbins is not vetoed by the council, there will once again be a quorum of members to take up issues, including the topic of the mask mandate. The mandate has been extended in schools through Nov. 1, McNally noted.

Other Topics

The Veterans’ Service Officer has been denied access to essential tools because the Eastern Hampden Veterans District had not been officially recognized by the state. McNally said that she hoped to receive state confirmation soon, but was reserving the right for East Longmeadow to withdraw from the district and make other accommodations, as there were “too many gaps in service” to town veterans.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) has submitted a request for American Rescue Plan Act funding for a permanent wastewater flow monitoring system. The only bid submitted to construct and install the system, which the town originally plan to pay for with a $533,000 bond, is for $860,000. On the other hand, the bids for the water main replacements at Cooley and Avery streets and at Ridge Road and East Circle have come in $295,000 under budget.

There are two open houses at the Pleasant View Senior Center on Oct. 21, to work on implementing the Master Plan. The sessions are from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. On a related note, Planning & Community Development Director Bethany Yeo has contracted with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) to fund a housing production plan, which McNally called “key” to resolving housing issues.